Turning the Page: Transgender people mourn their dead on TDoR

Transphobia is widespread. It affects every single trans individual no matter where they fall in the transgender spectrum, to greater or lesser degrees. Some experience it daily, some infrequently. And some die because of it.

Julita Cabillana, mother of slain transgender woman Jennifer Laude, grieves beside her casket. Julita said she lost a child who had given her money regularly for medicine for her ailments, including diabetes and hypertension.Aaron Favila / The Associated Press

A transgender woman is found dead with her head submerged in a toilet bowl in a hotel room in the Philippines.

A witness reports that the suspect in the case, a U.S. Marine, did not know that Jennifer Laude was a trans woman, according to a Time magazine report. He thought she was a natal woman, or as the witness reportedly testified to a Senate hearing, a “real” woman, the Time article says.

Another report on this case, at Philstar.com, says this: “Evidence (including two used condoms) recovered at the crime scene also indicated anal sex occurred in the hotel room where Laude was found dead, although it has not yet been determined who engaged in the sex. … Forensic experts said Laude suffered severe head injuries and body bruises. The autopsy report said (she) died of asphyxiation by drowning.”

Time magazine later reported this: “The U.S. Marine accused of killing a transgender Filipina has asked prosecutors to reduce the murder charge to homicide if the case is brought to court, since there is no “probable cause for murder.” ”

Jennifer’s death is one of at least 268 slayings of transgender people around the world from Nov. 19, 2013, to Nov. 14, 2014, according to Trans Violence Tracker. Many, if not most, of those slayings are considered to be the results of transphobic acts of violence, though we don’t know for sure if that was the case with Jennifer’s death. We may never know.

In fact, we don’t know exactly how many people are slain each year in transphobic acts of violence because some of those who were murdered are misnamed and misgendered by authorities and the media — i.e. they report their legal names and sex as opposed to the names and genders the trans people presented to the world — and their deaths are not listed as transphobic crimes.

Demonstrators at the University of the Philippines campus denounce the slaying of trans woman Jennifer Laude, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014.Bullit Marquez /
The Associated Press

What is transphobia?

As defined in part on Wikipedia: “Transphobia (or less commonly transprejudice) is a range of antagonistic attitudes and feelings against transsexuality and transsexual or transgender people . . . Researchers describe transphobia as emotional disgust, fear, anger or discomfort felt or expressed towards people who do not conform to society’s gender expectations, and say that although it is similar to homophobia, racism and sexism, those attitudes are becoming generally considered unacceptable in modern society, whereas some individuals still maintain transphobic views without fear of censure.”

As you read more of the Wikipedia article, you’ll see that transphobia is widespread. It affects every single trans individual no matter where they fall in the transgender spectrum, to greater or lesser degrees. Some experience it daily, some infrequently. And some die because of it.

Nov. 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance. Again, from Wikipedia: “Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which occurs annually on November 20, is a day to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia (the hatred or fear of transgender and gender non-conforming people) and to bring attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community.”

The deaths of 268 trans people may seem to be a relatively small number compared with the numbers of other people slain in acts of different types of hatred around the world, i.e. the thousands murdered by ISIS in the past year.

But trans people and their supporters around the world will be remembering their slain sisters and brothers with candlelight vigils on Nov. 20. You’ll read about them. You might even encounter such a vigil in your journeys.

And if you’ve read this far, you may be empathizing with trans people, and perhaps even saying a silent prayer in support of them.

But beyond that, what can you, the average citizen, do to help nip transphobia in the bud? What can any of us do?

Well, every bit helps. It starts with respect, of course. We can make sure we don’t misgender trans people, that we use the right pronouns and chosen name whether we are speaking with them or about them. And we can speak out when we hear someone we know make disparaging remarks about trans people. And if you are an employer, you can put out the welcome mat for trans employees. And you can make sure they have equal opportunity for advancement.

I could give you many more examples of how people — everyone — can help make the world a more tolerant place for trans people. But you get my drift, right? It’s pretty elementary. It all boils down to one thing: live and let live. And the golden rule . . .

One more link for you: Courtney O’Donnell at the Huffington Post has an article listing some of the trans slaying victims of the past year. She includes their names and how they died “in order to convey the importance of observing the Transgender Day of Remembrance.”

Today, we mourn them all . . .

A U.S. Marine is being held in the slaying of transgender woman Jennifer Laude in the Philippines.Facebook

Turning the Page is an opinion blog focusing mostly on LGBTQ issues. Jillian Page also blogs at jillianpage.com.